Words in a Fishbowl
by Xaphrin
Summary: Drabbles and vignettes centered around Raven and Aqualad. Mostly fluff, you have been warned.
1. Deserted Island

**Words in a Fishbowl  
><strong>Aqualad and Raven Drabbles

One: Deserted Island

)O(

"If you had to be stuck with one person on a deserted island, who would it be?"

Raven peaked an eyebrow and looked over the edge of her book at Aqualad. He was sitting next to her on the sofa, channel surfing as they waiting for their friends to return from the store. The Titans East were in town, and Speedy had decided an impromptu party was in order. Raven was… _less _than thrilled, and Aqualad seemed to share the same feelings.

"Are you _seriously_ asking me that question?"

He cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "You're the only other person in this room."

Raven sighed and closed her book onto her lap. "It depends, is it a tropical island? Or is it frozen northern island in the middle of a very cold lake?"

Aqualad started. "I've never been asked that question… Tropical, I guess… what difference does it make?"

"If I'm going to be running around half naked on a tropical island with someone, I want them to be at least marginally attractive."

He laughed, and the sound reminded her of waves crashing against a shore. "I never thought about that before… It's a good point, I guess." His eyebrows knitted together and he looked back at her.. "Okay, so who would it be?"

"Does it have to be someone we know?"

Aqualad shrugged again. "Sure."

"Well, _that_ narrows the attractive pool considerably."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't find Robin attractive?"

"_That _is a loaded question, and you know it." Raven tucked her legs under herself and stared at her friend. "In spite of the 'business only' attitude he give you, he spends at least half an hour a day on his stupid hair alone. If we need to build a shelter, start a fire, hunt fish, and farm coconuts, I'd rather not have him around at all. I need someone who is marginally attractive but doesn't need to work to look attractive."

"Speedy then?"

"No. He's cocky and arrogant and flaunts his attractiveness… besides, you know as well as I do that he spends more time on his hair than practicing with his bow. No… I need someone that doesn't work for it and doesn't flaunt it."

Aqualad laughed and leaned back into the sofa, watching her. "There's no one in our group of friends that swims in that pool. You're shit out of luck."

Raven smiled slowly, almost slyly. "I beg to differ."

She watched as color flooded his face and his gaze moved from her lips to her eyes and back again. He swallowed slowly. "Oh."

She wasn't sure what demon made her say it, but the words left her mouth before she could stop them: "You don't happen to know any deserted islands, oh prince of the seven seas?"

)O(

_So… I've never done this whole "drabble" thing before. I like flash fiction, I like this couple, I like funny little quirky scenes… so, we'll see where this takes me. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!_


	2. Fireworks

**Fireworks**

"Do you believe in fireworks?"

Raven jerked and looked over at Aqualad. They were standing on the roof of the tower, watching as the world around them rang in the New Year. Inside the tower there was screaming and off-key singing of "Auld Lang Syne" that could be heard from miles and miles around (mostly from Beast Boy).

"Do I believe in _fireworks_?" Raven cocked a hip to the side and stared at her friend. "As in, do they exist? Because I believe there are some bursting over the bay right now. Unless those bright flashes of light are some other kind of phenomenon."

He laughed and stood next to her, and Raven smelled the sweet, salty scent of the sea. He glanced down at her and smiled. "Not real fireworks. The kind you get when you kiss someone for the first time. Do you believe in those?"

Raven shrugged and looked back at the fireworks still bursting over her head. "I'd have to kiss someone to know, and in case you were unaware, I am _extremely_ lacking in that department."

"You've never been kissed?"

"No." Raven looked over at him and rolled her eyes. "Don't act so surprised, Garth. I'm the creepy half-demon from the Titans, no one wants to take me out. Hell, _Beast Boy_ has seen more action than me."

"I'm out here with you now."

Color flooded her face and Raven glanced around to see how _very alone_ they were. She swallowed hard and tried to keep her face blank. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

He smiled and leaned down over her petite body. "Happy New Year, Raven… I wish you the best in the months, weeks, days, hours, and minutes to come." Without waiting for her response, he pressed his lips to her own and kissed her full on the mouth. His lips moved over hers slowly, coaxing a response from her, and running his fingers through her hair.

Raven kissed him back, seeing bright flashes of colored light behind her eyes. Her hands fisted his uniform, and she pulled him closer, wanting to see the show for a little longer.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled back, just enough to look into her eyes. "Any changes in your beliefs?"

"You're slowly changing my mind…" Raven's hands moved toward the back of his neck to touch his hair. "But I'll have to see some more proof before I make an informed decision."

He smiled and leaned back down, letting her see the fireworks one more time.


	3. Beatles or Elvis? Ducks or Ravens?

**Beatles or Elvis? Ducks or Ravens?**

"There are two types of people in the world."

Raven snorted and turned the page of her book, never looking up. "Beatles people and Elvis people?" She heard Aqualad chuckle next to her, and stifled a smile at the idea that he'd gotten the reference.

"You mean you can never like the same equally?" He leaned back in the folding chair and watched as their friends ran along the shoreline, laughing and playing and splashing one another. "I wasn't going there, but if you'd like to start the conversation… are you a Beatles or an Elvis person?"

"Neither." She glanced over at him and smirked. "Although with the pristine way you dress and neatly combed hair… I'm going to guess Elvis."

"You'd be wrong, but I appreciate your enthusiasm…" His words drifted off and he sighed. Raven felt the shift in emotions as if a cold fog had drifted over the hot sands, and she finally closed her book to look over at her friend. He seemed almost distraught, and a little frustrated. He glanced back at her and forced a thin smile. "I was going to say there are the people who like to sit on the shore, and those who go in." He glanced at Raven before looking back at the sea. "I know I would like to jump whenever I can… but what kind of person are you, Raven?"

She raised an eyebrow and set her book to the side, mulling over her thoughts. "I'm not sure. The sea can be a dangerous place, and if a girl doesn't know how to swim, then she can easily drown."

"Even if Aqualad is standing next to you?"

Raven took a deep breath and forced a small smile, feeling the pain beat at her chest. "I belong on the shore, Garth… birds don't always swim that that well."

"Ducks can swim." His lips were pursed, as if he was starting to pout.

"Ravens aren't ducks." She reached over and ran a finger down the back of his hand, out of sight from any of their friends. "I like sitting on the shore… for right now." She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "There will always be time to learn how to swim."

"There might not always be a sea."

Raven felt the words puncture her chest before she could stop them, and she looked away. "Then I guess that is a guilt I will have to live with."

Aqualad sighed and leaned back in his chair as the tension between them dissipated. "You… and the sea."


	4. Nurse Raven

**Words in a Fishbowl  
><strong>Nurse Raven

"It's cold."

Raven looked up from the fire she was tending and stared at Aqualad, who was shivering in the corner. "We're in Siberia… it's not exactly a tropical destination." She turned and looked out the small entrance to their makeshift shelter and saw only snow, no forest. "Although, I wish this snow would stop. We'll get buried in here if it doesn't."

"The wind is brutal."

Guilt rose into her chest and she returned to the fire. "I'm sorry. I can't make the fire much bigger or someone might see us, we're not exactly in friendly territory." Raven prodded the fire a little more, and Aqualad moved a bit closer to it, searching for warmth. Raven frowned as she watched him move. He'd taken a pretty severe beating in their last fight, and some of his wounds were probably starting to fester. If they weren't careful he could become infected.

"Come here."

His eyes met hers and she noticed the gash on his right cheek. "I can't move anymore, Raven…" His body fell next to the fire and Raven cursed. How had he managed to get hurt so bad? Oh, right, he had shielded Raven from a serious attack. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the memory of the sound of bullets whizzing through the air and embedding in flesh. Her hands shook and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Sometimes it hurt to remember how brutal war really was.

"Garth… don't fall asleep."

His chest moved up and down, slowly, as if he was fading away. "I can't keep my eyes open."

"Come on… you have to stay away. Take off your clothes, let me see your wounds."

He forced a weak smile at her. "You just want to see me naked."

Raven glared. "Stop being so cocky. Clothes off."

"I can't move…" He opened his eyes for a moment and tried to lift his head. "Something is close to my spine, and it's… it's not letting me move."

Raven felt the sharp pain of panic rise into her throat and she pressed forward, slipping her hands under his clothes. She didn't care about the fabric, and ripped it from his body to see what was underneath. The injuries were worse than she thought. His alabaster skin was littered with cuts and scrapes, and there was a bullet hole through his left shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry." He forced himself to roll over, showing her the injury on her back. "You're worse than Robin when someone gets hurt. Like a clucking mother hen."

"Stop exaggerating." Raven took a deep, calming breath and tried to still her shaking hands. If she trembled too much, he would know. She placed her hands over the wound on his back, using her powers to extract the bullet.

"It's okay to be afraid, Raven."

"Stop talking. You're just going to aggravate the injury. And I'm not afraid, I just don't like to see my friends hurt." Raven concentrated on the wound, sending her soul-self into his body to repair the damage. She felt something strange brush against her senses as she moved through him. Something warm and interesting that moved through her. She shook of the feeling and returned her attention to the task at hand. She had to make sure all the tissue was reconnected, and all the infection was gone from his system before letting herself return to her own body.

"You were lucky your vital organs were intact."

"Mm." He moved against her hands, and Raven felt his fingers tug on the edge of her cloak. "At least you're all right. You didn't get hit, did you?"

"No. I'm fine. But next time, try not to play the hero and protect me. I can protect myself, okay?" Her hands slid up his back, trying to stop some internal bleeding next to his kidney.

There was a long, slow moment of silence before Aqaualad moved to a more comfortable position and rested his head on his good arm. "Your hands are warm and soft."

Color exploded onto Raven's cheeks and the fire burned a bit brighter. "What?"

"You're warm and soft…" His eyes opened a little. "I couldn't imagine being treated by a more beautiful nurse."

"Stop talking. Your injuries aren't getting any better, and I won't be able to concentrate with you teasing me like this." Raven pressed her hands on his spine and realigned a few vertebras, before pushing his hair off of his shoulders to reach the bullet wound there.

"Who said I was teasing?"

Raven opened her eyes and glared down at him. "I'm _serious_, Garth. If you don't stop it, I might end up attaching your kidney to your lungs. Would you really like that?"

"No." He let go of her cloak and pushed it out of the way to touch her knee.

Raven gasped and pulled her hand away from the wound on his shoulder. "Stop!"

"I can't. Do you know how _good _you feel? Your skin is like silk…" He sat up and looked into her eyes, forcing a strange, lopsided smile at her. Raven saw the sweat on his brow, the color in his cheeks, and the way his pupils kept dilating. He was _delirious_. Great. Because she needed to be trapped in a hut during a snowstorm in Siberia with a delirious, lecherous Aqualad. How could this mission have gone any worse?

"Stop it, Garth. You're running a fever and you're delirious." She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him onto his back. "Now, lie down and let me treat your wounds."

His hand wrapped around her upper arm and pulled her down on top of him, grinning. "Are you going to give me some _bad medicine_?" Without any indication of remorse, he leaned forward and ran his tongue over her lips, tasting her. "Mm… I'd say it tastes good, Nurse Raven."

"Goddess!" Raven pushed his arms off of her and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "What in Hell are you doing?"

He grinned up at her. "Just taking my medicine… I'm being a good patient."

"You're being a jackass."

"Awe… I'm just having fun."

"Clearly we have two different ideas of _fun_." Raven glared and placed her hands over a few wounds on his chest, watching his eyes carefully for any sign he might slip out of his fever soon. It didn't look good, and Raven was giving him the rest of her power for his serious injuries. He would have to fight the fever on his own. And she would have to fight him off of her.

"There. You're healed."

"I have an awful wound near my hip… you'll have to take off my pants to reach it."

Raven's cheeks flared away and she turned away from him. "If Roy could hear you now, he'd almost be proud. Deal with the wound on your hip by yourself. I stopped you from dying."

"Come on, Raven… no one will know you've seen me naked." He pushed himself up on his elbows, swaying like a drunkard. "Just you and me and the fire. And it's such a nice fire… I'd hate for it to go to waste on such a cold night."

"Aren't you done harassing me yet?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "And I thought you were supposed to be the mature, gentlemanly one."

"I can be both… if you'll just let me show you." He sat up and leaned into her, pressing his lips against the skin under her ears, nibbling and biting. "I thought you liked my kisses on New Year's Day." His teeth caught her earlobe and tugged. "You've barely said two words to me since."

"What does that have to do with you lying half-dead on a forest floor in a remote location in _Siberia_?" Raven tried to push him off her, but he pulled her down to the floor with him.

"Everything." He rolled on top of her and straddled her hips, supporting his weight on his knees and elbows. Even with the distance, Raven could still feel the fevered heat rolling off of him. "I didn't kiss you because I felt sorry for you, or because I wanted to be a tool and steal your first kiss. I kissed you because I wanted to, and I wanted you to kiss me back."

"I… I don't know what to say."

He grinned that strange, almost maniacal, lopsided grin and leaned close to her. "You can tell me that I've been a very good patient and you're going to give me a special treat."

"Which would be…?"

"Some bad medicine." He leaned down and captured her lower lip between his teeth before kissing her fully on the lips. "It's what I need."

Raven couldn't stop the smile once it started. "There's no doctor that can cure this disease."

And then, without any indication other than a groan, Aqualad collapsed on top of her, his head nuzzling under her chin as he succumbed to the fever. Raven rolled her eyes and wiggled herself out from under his weight, tucking herself into the shelter of his body.

"Well, that went wildly off track."

Aqualad pressed his lips to her ear. "Nurse Raven… I need my shot…"

)O(

_Not exactly sure what this was… I hope you enjoy it all the same. Oh, and super kudos if you get the song reference. _


	5. Tree Zoo

**Tree Zoo  
><strong>

Raven forced an awkward and somewhat pained smile as yet _another_ elected official came up to her and shook her hand, telling her what a great honor it was having her protect the city and how lucky they were. She mumbled out some rehearsed response and tried to talk about normal topics like the weather and sports and news, and not talk about how her calves felt while standing in heels or how naked she felt in a dress (especially when the breeze blew _just _the right way, and the whole party almost saw her utilitarian cotton underwear). And especially _not_ about the fact that the Titans East were now going to be _permanently_ missing one member.

Aqualad looked across the well-manicured courtyard and offered her an apologetic smile, which didn't look all that apologetic. He knew he was _torturing_ her. And for _what_? Oh right, because she refused to tell him what transpired between them while in the snow-covered wilderness of Siberia. He gave her an option of either telling him what happened a month and a half ago, or forcing her to a garden party for some high society conservation club.

Raven refused to cave on any information regarding Siberia… even if it landed her in a dress.

"… and it's just so terrible that our team lost in the playoffs! I know that if we made it to the finals, we could have gone all the way."

Raven tried not to stare blankly at her conversation partner. What sport was he even talking about? Baseball? Football? Lacrosse? "Um, absolutely. I think that it's a shame we lost. Stupid referees?" Well, _that_ sounded completely illogical, but he bought it.

"Right! I mean…" and he droned off into semantics of a game that she didn't care about.

Raven groaned and took another sip of her tea through a forced smile. Oh, yes. Aqualad was going to die when this was over. She could see the beautiful torture now. He met her eyes and chuckled behind his glass of champagne, before saying something to his own conversation partner. He walked over to where she stood, ignoring the hushed whispers and long stares at he passed. Raven watched as several female eyes turned to look at him, eyeing his shape and whispering to their friends as he moved. Not that Raven could blame them for looking, even _she _had to admit that he looked downright gorgeous in his dark blue suit with his hair free around his face, but something about the attention set her on edge. It made her want to unsheath her claws and let her demon loose. She wasn't exactly sure why though, it wasn't like Aqualad was her boyfriend or anything. She was just a "plus one" on an invitation.

He met her eyes and wiped a smile from his lips, trying to keep his face free of anything that might even remotely resemble humor at her situation. After all, it was _all his_ fault, he shouldn't find humor in his imminent demise. Coming up next to her, he wrapped his arm around Raven's waist and pulled her closer to him, further developing the idea that they were a couple. Behind her she could feel the emotions of all the girls and women watching them: anger, jealousy, frustration, confusion. Raven puffed out a breath of exasperated air and glared. _Great _the paparazzi were going to love this, she could see the headlines now: A Bird CAN Love a Fish. Or whatever nonsense they came up with.

"Dr. Garber, it's good to see you." Aqualad reached out and shook his hand with a bright smile. "I'm so glad that we managed to get everything pulled together. I was a little worried it might have been too last-minute."

"It turned out pretty damn good if I do say so myself." He looked around the party before turning back to the couple in front of him. "Of course it always helps to have a few celebrities to pump up the numbers of donations. Clarice called you this week and asked you about the auction, right? Are you taking part in it?"

"I haven't decided yet. I know it would help the conservation club a great deal but..."

Dr. Garber nodded, looking back at Raven for a moment, his eyes sparkling. "I know. It's always tricky to play that game when you're involved with someone."

Her face flushed and she looked up at Aqualad, whose hand was still wrapped around her waist. "What auction?"

"Ah. I would be auctioning myself off for a date next Saturday." He glanced down at her, offering a strange, cracked smile. "I was hoping to talk to you about it before I made a decision."

"Why would you need to talk to me about that?" Raven glanced between Aqualad and Dr. Garber before all the pieces clicked into place. "Wait. You think we're ... _involved_?"

Dr. Garber looked confused for a moment. "Well, he did call you his 'date' when we talked earlier... are you not?"

"I'm a 'plus one' on the invitation, not a date." Raven's lips pursed and she pulled away from Aqualad, effectively putting space between them. She knew her words sounded unusually harsh, but what did they expect when they threw her into this situation? "I'm only here because he essentially blackmailed me into going as company. If you want him for a celebrity auction, go right ahead. I'm not holding you back." She gave his back a push, making him stumble forward a few steps.

Dr. Garber looked shocked, then immediately elated. "Oh! Perfect! Your numbers are sure to bring in a great deal to the club. I'll go let Clarise know to get you on the auction roster right away!" He set down his drink and wandered off, shouting through the crowds for his assistant.

Aqualad glanced down at Raven and frowned, shock still lacing his eyes. "I can't believe you just threw me under the bus like that."

She gave him a snide smile and started to walk away. "Hurts doesn't it?"

"Do you even know what those ladies will do to me?" He chased after her, following her farther from the party and deeper into the expansive grounds of the arboretum. "I mean, they'll make me wear a Speedo and strut around like some kind of pool boy. Do you know how _degrading _that is? And what will Roy say if he finds out?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Maybe you'll get lucky and you'll be purchased by a gay man."

His eyes narrowed. "Not funny."

"Hey, everyone needs a little love." Raven tried to play the whole situation off like a bad joke, but there was still that aching feeling inside as she thought about some beautiful, young socialite picking at her food at a high-end restaurant, batting her big eyes and showing off her cleavage. She felt her eyes glow red for and instant, and she was grateful that she wasn't facing Aqualad. Why couldn't she just let the thought of him go?

Oh. Right.

She touched her lips and bit back an exasperated sigh. Even if he didn't remember what happened in Siberia, she did. And the memory of the feeling of his warm lips and heady advances made her heart skip a few beats. She pushed her emotions away and walked deeper into the woods.

"Raven…"

"No." Raven held out her hand to stop his pursuit and glared at him as she continued her escape. She couldn't handle being around him right now. She just needed to be as far away from him as possible, and then _maybe _she would have some semblance of normalcy and sanity in her life. "Just stop. I don't want to hear it right now, and don't try to pin to man-meat auction on me. This is your fault anyway. You were the one who dragged me all the way out here to wine and dine and rub elbows with the elite at a tree zoo."

"A _tree zoo_? It's an arboretum, Raven… but I guess you can consider it a tree zoo." Aqualad snorted indelicately and stared at her through hooded eyes. She really _was_ starting to upset him, and she didn't even thing that was possible. "I didn't drag you out here to exact revenge or anything stupid like that, Raven. I just wanted you to come with me to something painfully boring and help lighten the mood."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I'm a creepy shadow in the corner, _not_ a mood lightener."

"You are to me." He caught her wrist and stopped her retreat. "I just wanted you to come with me… and be my date."

Through his touch Raven could feel his emotions rip through her consciousness like the waves of a storm. He was upset that she wasn't listening to him, frustrated that she didn't want to be here, sad that she didn't consider herself a date, and then there was... Raven glanced from his wrist to his face, trying to place that strange emotion. It darted just out of the reach of her powers before she could really get a handle on it. But it felt warm and soft, a little foreign, but not completely... what _was_ it?

Raven finally turned around and glared at him, fighting off the fluttering feelings in the pit of her stomach. "I'm not your date. I'm your teammate. And why should I care if you get purchased for a date next Saturday?"

"You are my teammate, yes. But…" Aqualad gave an exasperated sigh and released her wrist, staring at her as he leaned against a tree. "I don't know, Raven... I _want _you to care." He shook his head and continued to watch her. "Look, Raven, something _happened_ between us in Siberia and you're refusing to tell me what. I just remember waking up after a _long_, weird sleep and you looked upset, to say the least." He shrugged and his eyes turned steely. "So, call it payback or coercion or whatever you want, but until you tell me what happened, I'm going to blackmail you into every possible uncomfortable situation. Including this one."

"I can handle a garden party."

"In a dress?" He offered her a soft, lopsided smile. "That breeze can be pretty fierce when it wants to be."

Raven's face burned bright red and she glared at him. He didn't see her underwear did he? Oh, Goddess help her if he did. She cleared her throat and pulled herself to her full (and unremarkable) height. "Let it go, Garth. What happened in Siberia isn't important, I can promise you that." Okay, _that _was a lie. "It was just a thing that happened and then went away. That's it."

"Uh-huh." He followed her as she moved even deeper into the lawn, and away from the party. "And why do I have a sudden urge to listen to Bon Jovi?"

Raven paused, her face deepening in color. "Never mind."

"Raven… I'm not going to be upset over what happened, but you have to see my frustration." His hand closed over her wrist and stopped her retreat again. "Things have been… _different _between us. I don't like it. I mean… I know that New Year's day was _awkward_, after we kissed and all, but this is something completely different. It's like you don't want me to know what happened because you're angry or hurt."

Or both? Raven sighed and shook her head.

"You really want to know?" Raven glanced up at him, trying to seek out that warm emotion that just flitted out of her reach. What _was _that? She twisted her fingers around the soft skin of his forearm, hoping to get a better connection on that emotion. It still managed to be elusive.

"Of course I want to know. I'm confused as to what happened." His eyes were sincere and Raven caved.

"You accosted me."

His face paled and he stared blankly at her. "I _what_?"

"You accosted me." She shook her head again and looked away, pulling her arm from his grasp. She felt a little bereft as he left her touch, but she let the feeling disappear. It was _just _a touch, after all. "Well, sort of. I was just trying to help you heal from some wounds you inflicted during our mission, and you slipped into a fevered delirium. In that state you tried to have your way with me… before you collapsed." Her face flushed red and she glanced up at him, taking a step back to put more space between them. "You told me that you needed some _bad medicine_… and… we kissed. Again, I guess. And then when you woke up the next morning you had no memory of it. So, I figured you just wanted to forget about it. That it was some kind of mistake."

"We kissed?" His voice was nearly breathless, and his eyes were wide with shock. Raven wanted nothing more than to reach out and find the feeling again, just to see if it was there right now. He blinked a few times before he managed to find his voice again. "I can't believe we kissed again and I have no memory of it. No memory of _anything_ I did, or tried to do to you." He groaned and turned away from her in frustration, leaning his forehead against a tree trunk. "No wonder you hate me, I'd hate me to."

"Look, Garth, I don't hate you." Raven rubbed her bare arms and moved even farther from him, pretending to be interested in the flowering trees. "We're friends, good friends too, I guess... we've explored something beyond a friendship once or twice and it didn't go anywhere. It wasn't meant to go anywhere." Raven shrugged, trying to keep her disappointment from showing in her face. She didn't want to admit that she wanted some spark of emotion between them, something that just _might _start a fire. But even after Siberia, nothing changed, so why did she even bother dreaming?

She glanced back at him, giving a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "So what? I mean… you and I we aren't exactly made for each other or anything. We tried, and it never led to anything. Besides, I'm too introverted for a relationship anyway, haven't you read the rags?"

There was a long pause as he stared at her. He leaned back on his heels, crossed his arms over his chest, and just _stared_. Not the kind of stare where he was trying to think of something to say, the kind of stare where it looked like he might try and dissect her soul with his eyes. Even the trees and the birds seemed to quiet down under the stare he gave her.

Raven swallowed hard and took another step back. She didn't need her powers to know that he was getting dangerous.

He finally frowned. "Is that what you think?"

"It's what I know."

"Hm." Without another word, he grabbed her wrist roughly and pulled her into a small grove of thickly flowered trees and bushes. It was that perfect point in spring where the flowers were so full and open that they made a wall of pale white around them. If Raven hadn't been so frightened of the dark look in Aqualad's eyes, she might have enjoyed the scenery.

"Here, a small amount of privacy." He moved closer to her, closing any space (real or metaphorical) that might have occurred between them. "Raven, look… it's just you and me here. We're both adults who can handle disappointment and joy and other _real_ emotions… just tell me what _you_ want."

Raven jerked in surprise. What she wanted? What did that have to do with anything. "I don't understand. What do you mean, what I want?"

He continued to stare at her, expression steely. "Exactly as it sounds: what you want. Clearly what happened in Siberia effected you in a way I don't understand, or in a way that you're not telling me. I want us to be completely honest with each other. I don't want to go through the rest of our... relationship... companionship... whatever you want to call _this _and not know what you _really_ want."

"I don't want to be at a tree zoo rubbing elbows with the mayor." Raven kept her face blank as she stared up at him. Dry humor was always her standby plan if someone wouldn't leave her thoughts and feelings alone. Aqualad didn't seem to think it was all that funny and he frowned at her. Well, she tried.

"I'm serious." He closed even more space between them. He was so close now that Raven could feel his emotions start to spill off of him again. They wrapped around her senses and tugged and pulled until it felt like they were weaving together. She couldn't tell what feelings were hers and what feelings were his anymore.

She swallowed hard, but made no move to back away. She could not let him think that he had won... you know, if there was a winner in this game. "So am I. That's the only thing I want right now, to pretend that I wasn't blackmailed into this party for your amusement."

"My _amusement?_" He jerked backward in surprise, giving Raven some small reprieve. "Is that what you think this is?"

With the new space between them, Raven managed to find her emotional footing again, and she pushed back at him. "Clearly you enjoy watching me make a fool of myself, parading me around as your _date_, waiting to see how I react when you tell me you're putting yourself up for auction. And you enjoy watching me squirm when I have to admit to you what _actually_ happened in Siberia." She huffed out a breathless curse and glared. "So, _yes_, I absolutely think that this party is for your amusement. You could have any girl in the world and you chose me, because I'm _amusing_ and a _mood lightener_."

His eyes darkened. "And _that's_ what you think?"

Raven nodded. "Yes."

He closed the space between them again, pushing her through the thick branches and against the tree trunk. "What if I don't want just any girl, what if I want you? What if I _want _you to care about being called my date or putting myself up for auction like a piece of man-meat, as you so eloquently called it."

"Then, I'd say you were lying." Raven felt one of his hands slide around her waist before resting on her hip. She swallowed the rhythm of her heart and continued to keep her face blank. What in the _world_ had she gotten herself into? She _had_ to push at him, just to make sure that she had her own personal space and nothing ever changed that. She couldn't just try to figure things out like a real adult, and let him try to help her. "I'm _not_ the kind of girl you want. I know that."

"Your self-esteem issues are terrible." He moved even closer, his emotions now mingling with his heat and his cologne. He was warm and heady, and smelled like the beach at the break of day. Fresh and just a little bit musky. Raven's eyes darted down to his lips before she could stop herself, and he smiled at the small movement. "You want to be my date, don't you?"

"Don't be so full of yourself. I just want to be out of this dress." Raven felt color flood her face as soon as the words left her mouth. That was not at _all_ what she had intended to come out. She cleared her throat again and tried to compose herself. "I don't want to be at this party anymore, least of all in this dress." That wasn't much better.

He leaned forward and pressed his nose into the curls of her intricate up-do, breathing deep. "I can help you out of the dress if you want." He pressed a few kisses to the sensitive skin behind her ear, and Raven felt her knees go week. If he hadn't been holding her waist, she was pretty sure that her legs would have given out under her weight. He nuzzled her neck. "Has anyone ever told you how _amazing_ you smell? Like tea and shadows."

"That's strangely poetic." Raven swallowed hard and tried to put space between them, but he refused to budge. Goddess, it was like Siberia all over, except now he was fully conscious of his decisions. Raven knew he had to have heard her heart through her chest, she was surprised the ground didn't shake with the force of it. "What is the point in all of this?"

"I want to kiss you again, and remember it this time." Aqualad's hand tightened on her waist and he moved his mouth over her in a ghost of a kiss. "You were so willing to let me kiss you on New Year's, and you let me kiss you in Siberia - even if I don't remember it. But it's not enough, Raven. I want more." His tongue traced the seam of her lips and Raven gasped. "I'm always going to want more, even if you don't believe me."

Without another word he pressed his mouth fully to hers, slamming her body against the trunk of the tree with such force it sent stars flying behind Raven's eyes. The bark of the tree cut into her back, but she could barely feel it over the sensations rushing through her. Heat and energy sparked at her fingertips before racing through her body to pool just below her stomach. He nudged her lips open and pushed his tongue inside the temple of her mouth, throwing his normal tentative personality somewhere she couldn't find it. Raven was no longer sure whose emotions were feeding whose, and finally she gave up trying to figure it out, and let herself indulge in his caress more that she would have admitted outside that moment.

He pulled away, gasping. His eyes met hers and searched for something that told him he should stop. Raven couldn't find her voice if she had a megaphone. They stood there, staring at each other with wild eyes and fighting emotions they had never felt before. Well, she had fallen down the rabbit hole already, how much harm would she caused if she did some exploring? Raven swallowed her fear and threaded her fingers through his hair before she brought him back down for another kiss. And Aqualad was only too happy to oblige.

His teeth nipped at her lower lip as one of his hands left her waist and slid up and down her back a few times before finding the zipper to her dress. He fingered the small, metal device for a moment, as if contemplating something. Raven's hands slid up his chest and undid a few buttons at his neck and chest, desperate to feel the skin there. She felt his emotions halt as confusion and shock set in, but those emotions were quickly replaced with something hotter and smoother. He pushed her against the tree again, smiling against her lips as he grasped the zipper and tugged. Her dress split open at the back, exposing her to the cool, spring breeze. He didn't make any attempt to try and take it off her, but seemed more interested in touching skin he hadn't touched before, and his fingers deftly found all the hidden hollows and secret spots that Raven didn't even know she had.

She moaned into his mouth, her hands shaking as they reached into his shirt and touched the smooth planes of his chest. He pulled away again and looked down at her, his mouth moving as if he was trying to say something. Raven gulped air and backed farther against the tree trunk, shocked at her own response.

"What are we doing?" She put her hands against his chest to stop any new advances, although he seemed pretty shocked as well.

"I think we're making out..." Aqualad looked down at his exposed chest, blushing as he quickly tried to re-button his shirt. Raven watched his shaking hands move over the fabric with the precision of a blind man without opposable thumbs.

"Here. Let me help." Her hands weren't much better, but at least she managed to get every button done neatly. She reached the last few buttons on his shirt, and her hands brushed against the bulge in his pants. Blushing, she pulled her hands away as if she'd been burned. Oh, Goddess. "Um. Sorry."

"No, I... I can't control my reactions... to you, I mean. I guess you touching it is kind of expected... it gets in the way." He sighed and stepped back, running his hands through his hair and closing his eyes. It was like he was trying to block out any emotion that might have clouded his normal, logical judgment. "This just got awkward didn't it?"

"Yeah." Raven pulled up the zipper on her dress and looked away. "It did. Super awkward."

"I'm sorry."

Her attention snapped back towards him and she stared. He was sorry? For what? For kissing like a Casanova? Or for stringing her along? Or for making things uncomfortably awkward as he pointed out his very _male _anatomy to her? Raven bit back a sour retort and continued to stare at him, keeping her face blank. "What?"

"I'm sorry... for being this." He readjusted his shirt and suit jacket, catching her eyes with his. "It's just that whenever you get close to me I have a tendency to forget to control myself. You're so... _you_, and sometimes I don't know how You deserve a gentleman at all time who is going to respect you and your boundaries... and I _totally_ blew that." He barked out a shred of humorless laughter and turned away from her, muttering to himself. "Really? In a park? In _broad daylight_? What was I thinking?"

"Don't beat yourself up, Garth." Raven tried to fix the pins in her hair, searching for some semblance of normality in the aftermath of th insanity that just transpired. She couldn't think about what happened between them, not just yet. Her heart still beat a frantic rhythm everytime she looked over at him. "I could have said no. I didn't, that was _my_ choice."

"That's not an excuse, Raven. This wasn't your fault." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, watching her fight with her own hair. "I should have been… _careful_ around you."

"I'm not breakable."

"But you're precious."

Raven's face flushed and she looked away. Her heart pounded in her ears and her body still didn't quite feel like it belonged to her, but something that was still threaded with his own emotions. She ran her hands over the skirt of her dress, smoothing out any evidence that might of suggested what they were up to. Finally she looked into his eyes and shook her head. "You don't have to tell me these things if you think the truth is going to be too painful for me. I'm a big girl, I can handle the truth."

He rolled his eyes and moved closer to her, reaching into her hair to pin a loose piece up. "I just ravaged you in almost public and somehow you still doubt my feelings toward you."

"And what feelings are those?" Raven swallowed and found herself leaning closer, trying to catch his scent as it mingled with her own. Something about the way he smelled made her heart beat ten times faster and her skin itch with the need to be touched. Whatever this energy was between them, Raven wasn't entirely sure she would survive it unscathed. But still... something about the mystery and the adventure excited her.

"Why don't I let you figure that out?" He smiled and stepped away from her, offering his arm like a gentleman.

Raven rolled her eyes and pushed his elbow away, walking back to the garden party on her own. He followed her path down the gentle slope toward the manicured courtyard, watching the people move and chatter. Raven and Aqualad walked in silence for a few moments, both of them still trying to adjust their clothes discreetly. She glanced over her shoulder and hummed in thought for a moment. "Are you still going to auction yourself off?"

"I wasn't aware that my plans had changed." He tried not to smile, but Raven could see a satisfied smirk peel across his lips. "Do you want me to?"

Raven shrugged. "It's for a good cause... besides, I want to see all those little old ladies fawn over you like an object."

"I'll be their pool boy if they want me to." He shook his head and sighed. "And you? Will you fawn over me?"

Raven smirked and picked up her pace, pretending that his questions wasn't all that important. "Maybe..." She paused just outside of hearing range of the rest of the party and turned to face him. She let the silence hang between them and grow heavy. "You know how JC Government gives us a monthly stipend?" She waited for his cautious, confused nod. "Let's just say that I haven't spent mine a few months... and it may or may not be burning a hole in my pocket." With that she turned and walked away, barely hearing Aqualad's confused, but hopeful, response.

"Oh."

)O(

_I feel like the more I write for this, the more I end up with an almost cohesive plot. I briefly debated whether or not to make this "M" but I think I might make a whole new story for that anyway. I realized that this was the only pairing a wrote for that I've never done an "M" rating on. Meh. We'll see. Anyway, let me know how you felt about this. Thanks again for reading! _

_PS: I edited this and reposted because the original version was all over the place. Besides, I wanted to set up the next scene. :)_


	6. The Date

**Words in a Fishbowl  
><strong>The Date

)O(

Aqualad smiled at the woman in front of him, wishing he could be anywhere but there. He would take a battle with the brotherhood of evil over this torture.

Raven lost the auction. Not that he was all that surprised, after all, she had been going up against a bunch of old-lady millionaires with nothing left to do with their lives except burn through their money at ridiculous speeds. But, Raven had held on for as long as she could, trying to make do with what was given to her in her measly stipend. He was touched by the sentiment at the very least.

"And yesterday Mr. Whiskers got out into the yard and chased that poor blue bird down. It was just so sad. It was such a pretty blue bird."

And yet _another _story about her cat. If he had to sit through one more story about her cat, he might actually lose his well-placed control. He took a sip of his wine, desperately trying not to down the entire contents of his glass in one gulp. "That's such a pity. I'm sure you enjoyed watching that bird at the feeder everyday, Mrs. Stockwell."

She laughed and reached for her glass of bourbon, waving him off with a chuckle and a smile. "Oh, Mrs. Stockwell sounds like an old lady! I told you, you can call me Gertrude… Gerttie for short, dear."

Aqualad somehow managed to _not _tell her that her first name did not sound any younger. "You're right, Gerttie. You _are _certainly much too young to be called Mrs. Stockwell." He glanced at the clock, knowing that she had requested to be home by nine. Twenty more minutes, he could handle that… right? He prayed to Poseidon he could.

"Oh, what a dear!" She finished off her bourbon and waved the empty glass at the waiter, requesting another one. Turning back to Aqualad, she picked at the chocolate cake in front of her delicately. "So, dear, do you have any love interests at the moment?"

Aqualad jerked back suddenly, surprised by the question. He wasn't sure if Gerttie was hitting on him, or was legitimately interested in his life. She had barely asked any personal questions about him all dinner, opting instead to talk about her cat and the birds at the feeder every morning. He glanced down at his dessert before looking back at her. "I… no… not really."

"No love interests? A strapping young man like yourself?" She laughed and reached across the table to pat his hand. "I find that hard to believe."

"Well…" Why in the world was he telling her this? "There is this one girl…"

"Oh my! How exciting!" She dropped her fork and inched closer to him, puling her body across the table, excited by the possibility of gossip. "Do tell Gerttie! Is it that pretty Bumblebee girl? She seems like such a doll! A nice, strong woman who will take care of you."

He blushed. "No, she's my leader. Besides, she is dating another teammate…" Really, _why _was he telling her this? This wasn't any of her business. In fact, it wasn't the business of _anyone_ besides him and Raven, and even then, he wasn't entirely sure that they had figured anything out between them.

"Oh, yes… I heard about that…" Gerttie waved him off, as if suddenly uninterested in the gossip. "She's dating that robot fellow from Jump City, right?"

"Yes."

"So… who is it for you then?" She tapped her fingers on her chin, obviously trying to remember all the names and faces of the other Titans. "Is it that redhead? Fire starter or something…"

"Um… it's Starfire, and no. She's with Robin."

"Well! There certainly is the love bug going around the Titans, isn't there!"

"I guess…" He gave a soft, uncomfortable laugh and continued to move his dessert around his plate. Why did he feel obligated to talk about these things with this woman? It was his personal life, his relationship with Raven, and yet here he was blathering all of his feelings to a seventy year-old lady with silver hair and an ear for gossip. He sighed and put his fork down, once again wishing he could be _anywhere_ but here.

Gerttie seemed to catch onto his change of attitude, and she pointed her fork at him, staring. "You don't seem all that happy about this mystery girl. Is there something or some_one _else?"

"Oh, no! There's no one else, and I am happy… it's just… I don't know…" He sighed and actually downed his wine in one gulp this time, barely tasting the oak and tannins as he swallowed. "I haven't seen her in a month and I'm worried that she changed her mind about me, or us."

"A month! That's a long time to go without seeing your sweetie!" Gerttie took a long swig of her bourbon and set the glass down. "_Much_ too long. She might have changed her mind about you… after all, I assume you were too busy to call her." She sighed and waved him off again. "I don't want to hear excuses about saving the world and all that nonsense. There's always time to call the ones you love. But I suppose that's the worst thing about being an adult, you never call the ones you need to."

Aqualad blushed again. "You're right."

"Of course I am! I've been married four times! I know what love is, and it's _not _forgetting that you have a telephone." She waved her fork at him, chocolate frosting falling from the tines and onto the white table cloth. "It only takes a few minutes to make a phone call, it's not like it'll completely derail your day. You might as well do it and tell her you love her!" She sighed like a teenage girl reading a romance novel. "If I were in that girl's shoes, I would want you to call me every day just to tell me how you feel! And then sweep my up into your arms and spin me around is happiness…"

Okay, that was oddly specific. He gave a polite smile and somehow managed to suppress his shudder. "I don't know about the sweeping and spinning, that's not really this girl's idea of an expression of love, but I will certainly call her tonight."

Gerttie smiled in satisfaction, putting down her fork and finishing her glass of bourbon. "Good. I would hate to see a handsome young man like yourself miss out on love because he was too busy saving the world and not making time to call his sweetie…" She glanced at her watch and sighed, shaking her head. "Tsk. Tsk. It's already nine! I didn't realize it was so late… I better get home before I miss the news. I hate missing the news, that's the only chance I have to see your handsome face."

"Oh…" Aqualad cleared his throat, unsure of what else he could say. "I don't want you to miss the news. I know how important it is for you."

"That's right, dear. Now, why don't you drive me back to my townhouse and drop me off…" She offered him a slow smile and reached across the table for his hands. "Unless you want to come up for an after dinner drink… if you know what I mean…"

This time Aqualad _actually _shuddered. "Um, unfortunately I'm quite tired, Gerttie… and I better get to bed so I have enough energy to drive home tomorrow…"

"Awe, you're so sweet, letting an old lady down gently…" She stood up and pinched his cheeks. "Now come on, dear. I don't want you to take forever."

Aqualad bit back a sigh and followed her out of the restaurant. It was going to be a _long _night.

)O(

Aqualad heaved what felt like his millionth sigh for the evening as he walked into the hotel lobby. Deep-colored woods and beige marble glittered back at him, making the room look more like an opulent palace and less like the lobby of a swank hotel. He knew it was an unnecessary expense to rent a room for the night, but he didn't want to make the three hour drive back to Steel tonight. It was just his rotten luck that Gerttie happened to live outside of Steel, and he had to come to her own city to meet her for her date that she had won.

He tapped his fingers on the counter, looking at the concierge fidgeting with the computer.

"Ah… it says here that you've been upgraded, Mr.… Aqualad." The boy glanced up at him and then quickly averted his eyes, as if he wasn't supposed to look at a superhero.

Aqualad bit back a groan, trying not to take his frustration out on the kid. He didn't want to be upgraded. He just wanted to crash in a bed. Any bed. It didn't matter. He kept his poise and smiled. "Oh, that's wonderful."

He slid a key card over the lobby counter. "Your room will be on the sixteenth floor. It'll be the Penthouse suite."

His smile faltered. "Great… how much is this costing me?"

"Oh, your room is on the house for the evening. Gertrude Stockwell owns this hotel."

Aqualad sighed and somehow managed to _not _bang his head on the counter. "Of course she does…" He took the key card from his hands and smiled. "Thanks."

"Thank you, Mr. Aqualad. Enjoy your stay." He paused and then stopped him. "And your companion has already checked in for the evening. I'm not sure if I was supposed to tell you that or not though, it was meant to be a surprise… I think."

Did Gerttie _actually _follow him back to his hotel? Oh, Poseidon. He might actually go to jail for murder of an innocent old woman tonight. Forcing a smile, he waved at the boy behind the counter. "Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate the heads up."

"Of course."

Aqualad stepped onto the elevator and slid his card into the reader, taking him to the appropriate floor. There was the faint scent of tea and lavender that permeated the small space, reminding him of Raven. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember the feel of Raven's lips against his and the softness of her body as it curled around his own, and his heart pounded out a frantic pattern in his chest in response. Damnit. He needed to stop thinking about her, or he was going to set himself up for a lang, sleepless night. Was Gerttie right? All he had to do was call Raven and tell her the truth?

Tell her that he loved her?

It had been an entire month since the debacle at the tree zoo, and they hadn't spoken a single word to each other. He had picked up his communicator thousands of times, looked at her contact information, and then closed it. It was as if he suddenly doubted himself, and doubted the feelings that they had both confessed to one another in that grove of trees.

He groaned and stepped off the elevator as it dinged open, moving down the hall to his room. It didn't seem like it, but he wanted to trust her advice, although he wasn't sure why. He opened the door to his suite and stopped in the foyer, shocked at what assaulted his senses. There was a small table with food on it, and wine chilling in an ice bucket. He bit back an audible curse and settled for growling instead. Damnit. Did Gerttie think she was going to _actually_ get him in bed?

"I realize that the idea of dinner seems kind of silly after you've already eaten, but…"

That voice was _not_ Gerttie's…

He swallowed hard, moving further into the suite to see Raven standing in the living room of the suite, the lights of the city shining through the windows behind her. She was dressed in a simple black dress, and her hands were folded in front of her, fidgeting with the folds of the fabric.

"I wasn't exactly thinking clearly when I ordered room service…" She shuffled slightly.

"What are you doing here?" He stared at her.

"I…" She cleared her throat, the emotions on her face melting into their normal, blank façade. "Do you not want me here?"

"No!" He reached out for her, dropping his key card onto the table in the foyer, forgetting about anything other than her in his room. "That's not it… I just… you… you're here. I haven't seen you in a month, and… you're here." _Great_. He sounded _so_ articulate.

"Well, I needed time to think a little. I hadn't heard from you and I didn't trust myself to talk to you and…" She sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, breaking eye-contact with him. "I lost the auction, and I didn't want you to have a date with someone who wasn't me…" Color flooded her face. "I realize how stupid that sounds coming out of my own mouth. I'm _actually _jealous of an old lady… and now I'm the one who's rambling."

"It's not stupid." Aqualad closed the door and slid the security lock over. He was damned if he was going to be interrupted now. "I wanted you to win, to be honest. I was kind of disappointed when you didn't." He moved closer to her, approaching her as if she were a frightened, skittish animal.

Raven blushed and let silence fall between them for a moment. She cleared her throat again and watched him move closer. "So, how was your date?"

"Awful." He chuckled, but didn't stop his steps toward her. "I listened to four hours worth of stories about her cat and the birds outside her feeder. And then she tried to get me to come home with her."

Raven's lips twitched as if she were fighting a smile, and there was a distinctive sparkle in their plum-colored depths. "That sounds terrible, but I can't help but laugh at it. I can only imagine what your face looked like when she said that."

"Oh, come on, it wasn't…" His voice drifted off as he stopped a few feet from her. There was a long moment of silence before he continued talking, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "You look beautiful… I thought you didn't like wearing dresses."

"I don't." She tugged at the hem of her dress. "But, for you I'll make an exception."

He laughed and reached out to touch her arm. "You don't have to go out of your way to try and please me, Raven. In fact, I wish you wouldn't."

"I didn't… I was just trying to make a good first date…" She sighed and took a step back, putting space between them. "I'm sorry, Garth. Starfire tried to give me dating advice and I trusted her, but the truth of the matter is that I have no idea what I'm doing." She shrugged her shoulders and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, I was really trying to give you a good date."

"Don't apologize, Raven. You have nothing to be sorry for." His mind started to wander, and he moved even closer to her, effectively erasing any of the space she had tried to put between them. "To be honest, while I appreciate the sentiment behind the date, I really don't want to do anything other than kiss you senseless right now."

Her breath hitched a little, and he could see her fighting a smile. "Oh. I see." Pause. "So, what's stopping you?"

He didn't need to be asked twice. Leaning down, he pushed his lips against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body against him. Her curves pressed against him, and he was suddenly flooded with the scent of tea. Poseidon, did she even know what she did to him? He nudged her lips open with his own, running his tongue along her swollen lips before exploring the hollows and shadows of the temple of her mouth.

A low moan escaped her lips and it just encouraged him even more. His mind deemed to haze in and out of consciousness, and he pushed up against her, guiding her body through the small sitting room and into the bedroom. He pulled back, waiting to hear her protests through the gasping in her voice. Somewhere, in a magical land called "Sanity", he knew this was wrong. They had barely admitted feelings to each other (in fact, he wasn't entirely sure they had admitted them at all), but he wanted her.

He wanted to be with her in every possible way.

Color flushed against the alabaster of her skin as she looked up into his face.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to push…"

"Garth?" She looked up at him, her fingers tightening in his hair. "Please, just _shut up_."

Fighting a smile, he was only too happy to oblige her.

)O(

_I'm not sure what I hoped to accomplish with this. But, I hope you enjoyed it.  
>Anyway, let me know what you think. <em>


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